


Curtain Call

by ThatOneFunnelCake



Category: Vocaloid
Genre: Complete, Dark Past, F/F, F/M, Human Experimentation, IA isn't a vocaloid in this universe she's just there, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-01-24 15:04:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18573925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatOneFunnelCake/pseuds/ThatOneFunnelCake
Summary: They’re in the age range of high school to college. And yet they are professional singers, giving concerts and releasing new songs quite often.But when the curtain falls, there are things that are secrets of the company. Each of the Vocaloids had a slightly traumatic event in the past, and each one has a special facade to hide their scars, both emotional and physical. Their personal managers are their anchors to the world, as well as their performing group. These Vocaloids in particular are held together by a special bond, a group that meets on Wednesday nights called Curtain Call. They discuss what happens offstage, in real life. The taboos that none of their fans know. However, one night, a fan sneaks backstage after a concert and follows a Vocaloid to the Curtain Call meeting. A few days later, her body is found in the basement- a suicide. One of the Vocaloids is accused of murdering her, and everything spins out of control.





	1. What is Curtain Call?

What is Curtain Call?

Curtain Call is a group for Vocaloids who have undergone a traumatic experience in the past.

What does this group do?

We support and guide these Vocaloids through the challenging world of showbiz.

When does this group meet?

Curtain Call meets every Wednesday.

What Vocaloids are in this group?

That information is classified for the sake of privacy.


	2. Part 1: Autumn

October 30th, 20XX  
—Meiko—

“LUKAAAAAAAA. We’re gonna be late.” I glared at the pinkette from where I was lying, curled around a pillow on her bed. “Dex is gonna be sad that you’re missing this. He called you the guest of honor.”  
“Don’t be silly, Meiko- Miki is the guest of honor. He’s got an obvious crush on her.” Luka chuckled to herself softly and finished putting on her earring. “I still don’t understand why you got your ears pierced a bunch of times…are you just being a rebel, or what?” She pointed to my ears. I had standard lobe piercings, but I also had two small silver rings on the top of each ear.   
“I dunno, I just wanted the rings. Piercings that I DECIDED to get.” I shivered slightly, although the room was anything but cold. Luka and I both knew what the silver orb earrings were for. She had them too. A mark of ownership from out ‘masters’, back when we were 6. Neither of us wanted to remember what we had gone through. At least we went through it together…  
Luka’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Meiiiiiii. Get up, c’mon. You’ll be the one making us late otherwise!” She took my arm and pulled me off the bed and began to walk out of the room. Walking by her side, I always felt a little safer. After all, we helped each other escape that place…the place where HE was…  
I shuddered and pushed the thoughts from my mind. I was going to have fun at this party, and nothing was going to ruin it. I smiled at Luka, taking her hand in mine and intertwining our fingers. She looked so pretty in her pink shirt and dark purple skirt…and there was me, standing next to her, with a maroon long sleeved shirt that went past my waist and the black leggings that I’d been wearing all day. The party didn’t need to be fancy, but I felt a bit weird dressed like this. Oh, well…my nicer clothes needed to be washed still.  
We got to the backyard in no time. The party had already started- Piko had gotten his MP3 player hooked up and was dancing with SeeU, Daina, and Miki. Dex and Kaito were setting up a table for food, and Gakupo was helping Flower grill the burgers and hot dogs.   
Luka walked over to join the group who was dancing, and I went to help Dex. We soon got the table set up, and Flower called out that the food was ready. Gakupo started serving up burgers and Flower served the hot dogs. Kaito brought out a bowl of potato chips and a bowl of cheese balls, and Dex brought out salad and dressing. I got the condiments- ketchup, mustard, mayo, and relish. We all sat in a group on the lawn and ate, went back for seconds, and then lay in the grass just talking.  
About an hour after everyone was done eating, the food was taken back inside for the next day’s dinner of leftovers. Daina brought out graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate, while SeeU brought out skewers. Miki, Piko, Luka and I went looking for sticks and small branches, and we built a small fire in the portable fire pit. Dex and Gakupo brought out a few chairs, and we roasted marshmallows over the fire and made s’mores. Piko turned the music back on and I started dancing with the others, messing around and having fun. It started to get dark, so we brought everything back in.   
Luka stood by me in the hallway before we went to our rooms. “I had fun tonight, Mei…Thanks for coming to the party with me.” Then, with everyone else watching from the living room, she kissed me on the cheek and dashed off. I felt my face grow hot with blush, and smiled dorkily.  
{I love you…} I thought. Walking upstairs, I changed into my casual pajamas- a long T-shirt and athletic shorts. Joining everyone else outside the bathroom, waiting to brush our teeth, I noticed how differently we dressed for bed. Luka wore a long, short-sleeved nightgown. Kaito wore a white T-shirt and sweatpants. Gakupo wore a tank top and boxers. Piko wore a tank top and athletic shorts. SeeU wore a shorter nightgown than Luka, as well as Miki. Dex wore a tank top and sweatpants, as did Daina. Flower wore a sports bra and athletic shorts.  
Once we had brushed out teeth, Luka and I were alone in the hallway. I took her right hand and felt her grip my left one. Our fingers intertwined and we pulled each other closer, closer until our lips touched.  
I felt a warm sensation running through me, of softness and comfort and trust- of love. Pulling back from the kiss, I felt my face grow hot again and saw that Luka’s face was redder than an apple.  
“Love you, Lulu,” I said softly. I went into my room and left the door cracked open, then put my toothbrush away and flopped onto my bed. I curled up under the sheets and closed my eyes happily- it had been one of the best days of my life. And tomorrow was Halloween! Although some people considered it childish, all of us still enjoyed dressing up and going out to get candy. We even competed in costume contests and won sometimes.  
{Yes, tomorrow will be fun…}  
My mind went blank and I drifted off to sleep with that being my last thought.


	3. Part 2: Autumn

—October 31st, 20XX—

—SeeU—

I felt sunlight shine into my room, and the next thing I knew my eyes were opening. "Mew..." I sighed softly, hearing the cat ears unfold on top of my head. Although I hadn't been altered too much, there was a fair amount of technology in my body. Sometimes I liked it, sometimes I wasn't sure about it, and sometimes it made me want to rip my hair out.But oh, well. I couldn't really do anything about it anyway, my manager had already done what she could.

Yawning softly, I stretched my arms above my head and relieved my limbs from stillness. Pulling back the covers and getting off the bed, I felt the coolness of the floorboards on my feet. I could see my reflection in the mirror on the other side of the room- my hair was tangled and messy, and my eyes half-closed still.

I had an average room, not too small or too large. It was about a square shape, with pale yellow walls, a white ceiling, and hardwood floors. The room originally had carpet, but I didn't want to have to vacuum anything so we had it pulled up. There wasn't much furniture either-just the bed, dresser, nightstand, and the small bookshelf. The dresser was in one corner of the room, facing the side wall and next to the window. On the other side of the window was the bookshelf, against the back wall. Next to the bookshelf was my bed, and the nightstand beside it. The window was covered by thin white curtains that Piko had helped me make, he was a surprisingly good sewer.

Thinking of the day's activities, I headed over to the dresser to choose my outfit. Today would be surprisingly average, considering it was Halloween. We all had school, as normal, and then we would go home for an early Curtain Call meeting. Asuka, who was one of our managers, was bringing pizza and we were having dinner together before "stealing" candy, as Gakupo called it.

"SeeU! You up yet?" Flower was knocking on my door, it seemed I had taken too long getting dressed.

"Yes, Flower! I'm almost ready!" I grabbed a hairbrush from my dresser and hurriedly brushed my hair, then tugged on my clothes and went out the door. Flower was standing in the hallway, her hair a mess as always. She was dressed in a grey T-shirt and ripped jeans, and her sneakers were untied. I sighed softly at her and went downstairs to join the others.

"Hey, See! How'd you sleep?" Piko called out to me. He was wearing a white button-down shirt and black pants. I was slightly surprised that he called me See, he didn't often use that nickname.

"I slept okay, how about you?" I smiled and took my lunch bag from the fridge, and we all began to walk to school together.

\--7 hours later--

"See...Can I talk to you for a moment?" Piko looked at me nervously, then at the floor.

"Sure, what is it?" I blushed a bit. What I really wanted was for him to ask me out...although I was sure he was gay.

"I, um, I should have said this a while ago...I love you, See...I really want to date you..." He turned red and looked down.

"Piko..!! I love you too!!!" I hugged him tight. "I'll be your girlfriend...if you want...but, why would you want to date me? I thought you were gay..." I felt my face go red when the words were out of my mouth. What if he got offended?! He probably would...

"I'm bisexual," he said with a shrug. "But really, SeeU...I like you. A lot." He entwined his fingers with mine, and we began to leave the school building, happy with each other.

"Hey, SeeU! Piko! Wait up!" Miki and Dex called to us from the doors of the school building.

"Hey Dex! How's it going?" I called back to them, stopping to wait.

"Well, I um...Miki's my girlfriend now, so it's going pretty well." He blushed a bit and took Miki's hand, and she smiled brightly at him. The four of us joined into a group and started to walk back to our house.

\--------

Curtain Call started at 5:30 PM that evening, just as always. Today our managers were ordering pizza and we had all agreed to bring some candy, since it was Halloween. By the time I got there, everyone else had arrived. I could tell that everyone was split into couples- Meiko and Luka, Gakupo and Kaito, Daina and Flower, Dex and Miki, and Piko was on his own. I set my bag of Skittles on the candy table and sat down by Piko. At that moment, our managers Asuka and Hinata stood up and clapped to get our attention.

"Hi guys, good to see you again!" Asuka called happily. "We'll begin our evening of fun shortly, but first Hinata has an announcement." 

"That's right, I have an important and shocking announcement. So hold onto your hearts." He took a deep breath and then smirked. "All of you are going on tour tomorrow. Well, starting tomorrow."

Dex fist-pumped. Flower growled a bit in protest, and Daina smiled. "None of us have ever gone on tour before, have we?" Miki asked.

"Exactly. Your first tour. Congratulations, everyone!" Hinata grinned, then gestured to the pizza table and the cooler full of canned drinks. "Now let's eat pizza and have some fun. Happy Halloween!" I got a slice of pepperoni pizza and sat down by Dex and Miki. We didn't have much to talk about, but Piko sat next to me and leaned on my shoulder. For some reason, I never noticed how thin he was. 

"Piko, how much do you eat every day?" I asked him softly.

"Um...I...I don't know..." he murmured. 

"Piko! You have to eat!!" I exclaimed. "Please...."

He shook his head. "I'm not hungry..." I felt myself start to tear up. I could honestly be so emotional sometimes.

"See...Don't cry..." he said quietly.

"I can't help it...Of course I'm going to cry if my boyfriend is anorexic!!" I stood up and ran out of the room before I started crying for real. My feet started to carry me towards the bathroom, but then I ran into someone. 

"Hey, SeeU. You okay?" he asked softly. 

Kaito.

"I...I need a hug..." I mumbled softly. In an instant I felt his arms wrap around me and I just leaned into him. He was always a good hugger, just like Piko...

"Did something happen between you and Piko?" he asked. 

"Not really, but he's...he's anorexic..." I replied.

"Yeah, that...Miki and Daina have been trying to help him with that." Kaito smiled a bit and ruffled my hair. "Don't worry. He's eating more than he used to, so we're making progress." 

I sniffled a bit and nodded. "I need to go rinse off my face." Standing up, I went into the bathroom and hid in a stall for about half an hour.


	4. Part 3: Autumn

\--November 1st, 20XX--

\--Luka--

All of us get up early to pack the next morning. Although we aren't leaving until after lunch, we need to make sure everything is shipshape. 

Asuka and Hinata are renting us a bus for transportation. We have to pack canned or nonperishable foods to eat, since we won't be staying in any hotels and won't have enough money to always eat out. 

I get my suitcase from its place in the closet and look at the packing list I have on my phone. Choosing outfits is easy, it's deciding what extra things to bring for entertainment that's hard. 

Once I finish packing, I head downstairs for breakfast. The others are already there, except Meiko. For some reason I feel uncomfortable when she's not around. Maybe it's because I trust her more than the others. We grew up together, went through the same things.

I sit down at the table and run my fingers silently over my earrings. One memory of Meiko that I always recall is the first time we escaped from our captor. I remember running after her in the rain to an abandoned summer camp that she used to go to when it was in business. She stopped in front of one of the burnt-up cabins and I remember how much she cried. She always said that camp was the only place she felt safe.

I am torn away from my thoughts as I feel someone cover my eyes and chuckle. I can tell by his stronger voice who he is. "Good morning, Gakupo." I say as he takes his hands away. His eyes seem to smile in the morning sunlight coming through the window. 

"Did you sleep well?" He sets a cup of coffee in front of me and takes a seat beside me.

"Yeah, I slept well. You?" I sip the coffee and close my eyes. 

"Snug as a bug in a rug," he chuckles and then walks off into the kitchen. 

As I look off into the hallway, I feel my face go red. Even in her old T-shirt and athletic shorts, Meiko is beautiful.

"Morning, everyone. Morning, Luka." She places a soft kiss on my cheek and then plops into the chair beside mine with a grin. "What's poppin'?"

I hear Miki laugh from the kitchen. "Meiko, nobody says that anymore!" Daina calls. I can't help but laugh along with them. Even Flower, who usually looks like she wants to kill us, is smiling.

Everyone seems to be dressed in a casual way, or in their own quirky sense of style. Flower is wearing a white blouse and grey shorts with suspenders from one of her songs. Dex is wearing a pair of grey sweatpants and a band tee. Daina and Miki are matching, both wearing a teal top and white cutoff shorts. SeeU and Piko are wearing their usual outfits. Kaito is wearing a navy blue T-shirt and brown pants, Gakupo is wearing a gray shirt and jeans, and I'm wearing a pastel green tunic and black leggings.

Breakfast is quieter than normal, as everyone is thinking about what they're doing. Dex, Miki, Daina and Flower are staying home because apparently they get bad travel anxiety and would rather chill than tour. The rest of us are leaving this afternoon, excited.

As soon as we finish breakfast, Asuka and Hinata knock at the door. Meiko stands up and lets them in quickly.

"Good morning, everyone! Before we begin loading up, I have an important announcement!" Asuka calls. "Dex, Daina, Flower, Miki. You four are leaving Curtain Call." 

The four of them grinned and stood. Dex cleared his throat. "Sorry guys, I just don't think we're cut out for music." He smirked a bit and led the other three out of the house.

I frowned. Dex seemed...mean. It was quite surprising, as he had always been at least okay to all of us. I guess he was tired of who we were...but, I mean, why quit being a Vocaloid? Then again, he was never too interested in singing.

If they had just been going to join the normal Vocaloids, I bet SeeU would have gone with them. The only reason she's still in Curtain Call is because Piko needs her. Part of me is disgusted at that, but I shouldn't be...because I feel the same way about Meiko as Piko does about SeeU. 

"Luka! Quit staring into space like that!" SeeU giggled. I looked up, taken away from my thoughts, and sighed. 

"May I be excused?" I spoke quietly, standing up and picking up my plate. 

"Go ahead." Gakupo smiled at me. "I'll put your dishes in the sink."

I nodded and went out of there, into my small bedroom. I opened my suitcase and double-checked that I had everything I needed. Once I was sure, I zipped my suitcase and took out my backpack. All I needed was my cards, some books, and my coloring/sketch book. 

It didn't take long to finish packing. I sighed and curled up on my bed, looking at the photo on the nightstand. It was a photo of me and Meiko when we were little, petting a kitten we'd found in the park. 

There's a knock on the door and Asuka pokes her head in. "Hey, Luka. Everything okay?" She comes in and sits down by me. 

I nod. "Everything's fine. I just needed to finish packing."

"Okay then. Can I load your stuff in the RV?"

"You rented an RV?"

"It belongs to Hinata's parents."

I shrug. "Go ahead. I'm coming out anyway." She nods and picks up my bags, carrying them out of the room. I follow a bit later, messing with the black-and-teal bracelet on my wrist.

"Everyone ready to go?" Hinata calls from the door to the garage. 

"Ready!" I call. The four of us head outside and get in Asuka's van. Hinata will be driving his car behind us, with the RV in tow. Kaito will be going with him to help with navigation. The only one still missing is Meiko.

I turn back to the house just in time to see her exit. She looks beautiful. Her earrings were golden in the sun. She's dressed now, wearing a white tunic with black leggings and a rose pin in her hair. 

As she locks the door, she grins at all of us and runs to join us by the van. Seating arrangement was done easily. Gakupo sat in front with Asuka, Piko and SeeU in the back, and Meiko sat in the middle with me.

As Asuka put the van in drive, I felt a wave of anxiety. I had people that I needed to see. Or did I?

No. I didn't. Not since a few years ago. And hopefully never again.

I never wanted to do anything like that. I never wanted Meiko or Gakupo to do it either.

I hate what we've been through. I hate it desperately. I know Meiko does too, because she'll talk to herself about it. She tends to talk to herself often, more so when she's mad. I feel bad for her, because she has such strong emotions and doesn't know how to express them. I don't know how to express myself either, so I just keep quiet. 

I hear the others having a conversation about friendships. Talking about the benefits and drawbacks of things, or past friendships. 

All of a sudden, Meiko turns and snaps at them. "Friendships are overrated and stupid. And even when you do have someone you really trust, when you really need them they'll fucking betray you."

Everyone turned to her. "Shut up Meiko, we were just talking. You didn't need to ruin it by being such a bitch." SeeU hissed.

"Fuck off, ASSHOLE," Meiko shot back. 

"G-Guys, let's not fight..." Piko murmured.

"I agree with Piko," I say softly. It brings everyone back to silence.

\-----

That night, I lie awake on the pullout couch in the RV. Meiko snores softly next to me.

I just can't sleep. Maybe I'm nervous about our first performance tomorrow...or maybe I'm scared our group will fall apart. I sigh and try to clear my mind, rolling over and turning my back to Meiko. I'm tired of being clingy and shy...weak.

Maybe I can be stronger, just maybe...


	5. Part 4: Autumn

-Friday, November 2nd, 20XX-

-Gakupo-

I wake up earlier than the others that morning. Already my mind is going, thinking about whatever happens.

People always say that I'm very observant. I suppose I am. I notice the patterns in nature, or in people. What grabs their attention, what they do in certain situations.

For example, everyone does something unique when telling a lie. Luka messes with her bracelet. Meiko avoids your eyes. SeeU twirls her hair, and Piko grips his clothing. Kaito looks at the ground. And me? I sound like I'm tearing up.

When we cry, it's different. Piko cries silently where he is, curling up into a ball. SeeU hugs something or someone, and Kaito does the same. Luka is usually doing the same thing as Piko when she cries. I try to find someone I trust. And Meiko...we almost never hear or see her cry. She hides when she's upset.

I pull myself out of the sleeping bag I'm in and step over or around the others. As I step over to the window, I see someone moving around in the kitchen. It's Piko. I decide to leave him alone and go outside. The door opens quietly and I slip out.

It's not quite daytime yet. The sun is just beginning to peek over the horizon, and the dew and shadows are on the ground everywhere.

A drop of water bounces down the leafy branches of a nearby tree. Nature has always seemed peaceful and comforting, different from the city I grew up in. Fewer people all over the place and fewer creeps hiding in alleys. 

There's a trailhead beside a cluster of trees. I decide to follow it, and I see a small stream in the distance. As I get closer to it, I hear small splashes. When it comes into full view, however, I see that it's not a stream but a large pond. Sitting on the bank is someone I don't recognize at first. His hair is blond and messy, and bandages cover one of his eyes. He wears a tattered blue-and-white outfit with brown shorts as well as a sailor's hat. In his hand is a rock, and several worms are crawling on his arm. A yellow bird is eating them one by one.

"Hello," I say to him. He looks up, startled, and responds with a British accent.

"Hello, mister. If I remember correctly, your name is Gakupo?"

I nod. It's at that moment that I remember his name. Oliver. I'd seen his face on a Missing poster hanging in Hinata's office. I hadn't thought he knew me at all.

"Oliver, why are you out here?" I asked him.

"I dunno...ran away, I suppose. And...well..." He shivered, shaking his head. "I-It's not really important..." he sniffled.

"H-Hey, c'mere..." I patted his shoulder gently. I wasn't that good at comforting people...where was Kaito when you needed him?

I was pulled away from my thoughts, hearing a sob burst from Oliver's throat."Hey, hey, hey, it's okay!!" I cried, hugging him as best I could. I didn't know what was going on. Something must have happened to him...something bad...

Footsteps came through the trees and Asuka entered the area. "Gakupo, what's going on?" she asked.

"I don't know. Oliver was just sitting here and then..." I shrugged. 

"Let's take him back with us," Asuka suggested. Oliver wiped his eyes and followed her to the RV. The others were slowly waking up, and SeeU was helping Kaito make breakfast. I looked over to the couch to see Luka curled up, her arms tightly wrapped around Meiko. Those two always seemed to stick together, as did SeeU and Piko...well, most of the time.

Soft footsteps came down the hall and a very tired-looking Piko entered the main area. "Morning, Piko," I said to him. "Did you sleep well?" I couldn't help but ask...despite the fact that the answer was obvious.

"It was okay enough, but I woke up earlier and had to get up for a while..." he replied. "Do we have coffee?" He rummaged in the kitchen cabinets for the coffee grounds, while Kaito and SeeU fought over whether there should be bacon.

I sighed and went back to the room I'd shared with Kaito, Piko and SeeU. My suitcase was lying against the bed, tightly closed. My clothes were rolled up in sets, one for each day, as well as a laundry bag for what ends up dirty. I choose a set at random, knowing I'll have to change for the first performance, and get dressed. The set I chose was a black shirt with a thundercloud on it, plus a pair of dark blue jeans. I look around the room to see what state it's in- the bed is made, and the two sleeping bags are rolled up and against the wall. It seems as though we're ready for a day on the road...our first performance is at 3 PM today. 

My feet carry me back to the kitchen. Meiko is awake, rubbing her eyes and trying to subtly remove Luka's arms from around her torso. Like most of us, Meiko isn't exactly normal when she first wakes up.

My mother would say we are all too young to drink coffee, but we all do. It isn't so much the caffeine, but the unique taste that coffee has. There's just something about the taste that makes you want to drink a full cup after having a little sip...

 

"Gakupo! Want some breakfast?" SeeU calls to me. 

"That's not a question, of course I do!!" I watch her put a strip of bacon and a bit of eggs on a plate, then hand it to Piko. He takes a seat on the floor and slowly eats it, his blue eyes tired and dull. I move my gaze over to Luka, who is awake now. She's sitting on the couch, brushing her long pink hair as Meiko folds up their blankets and stashes them under the little table. 

I enjoy our little group. It's a sense of togetherness I never found at home. Here, it seems as though nothing can ever keep us apart. We're going to be friends for a long time.

I take the plate of bacon and eggs that SeeU offers me, then sit on the couch beside Luka to eat.


	6. Part 5: Autumn

-Saturday, November 3rd, 20XX-

-Asuka-

I was awake at midnight, thinking. Yesterday's performance, the first one, had gone so well...it surprised me, honestly. 

I'd known this group for a while now- they all joined Curtain Call about 5 years ago. I got to know each of them quite well, learning about their lives and different aspects of their personalities.

There used to be ten of them, but now there's only six since Dex, Daina, Flower and Miki asked to leave. They had all wanted to pursue something different in their lives, deciding they didn't want to be involved in music as a career. The six that are left are always fun to be with, unless something bad happened. Each of their personalities is fairly unique in some way, it's always interesting to think about. 

SeeU is the chill, fairly average girl of our group. She was experimented on when she was young, giving her some technology that's implanted into her body. She has mechanical cat ears on her head, they also serve as speakers somehow. The other technology is unknown, but it's interesting. She always seems to find fun in things, or otherwise get lost in her own thoughts. Her collection of facial expressions is always fun to watch.

Piko is a bit more frantic, but it could be due to what he's been through. He's quiet and clingy, mostly staying near SeeU. When he was younger, he was also experimented on, but his experiments failed terribly. He would have died, if the government hadn't found the facility he was held in and sent the experimented children to the hospital. He's got a lot of technology in his body, and it's partly keeping him alive. He's social, but in a quiet way. He'll be reading while sitting with a group or just laying there, eyes closed but awake.

Kaito's a sweetheart who's always looking for affection. Since his parents abused him, he hasn't had much experience with real love and affection, and he's desperate for some. Personally, I find his affectionate nature cute, but it can be annoying at times. He's also quite emotional and gets attached to things easily, but he's really sweet and caring. He's very attached to Gakupo, his boyfriend, always giving him cuddles or gently giving him a kiss. Honestly, I feel a bit bad for Kaito- always being so affectionate just so he's sure that he isn't hated.

Gakupo's fairly chill. He's extremely observant and notices a lot of things- habits and mannerisms, emotions, certain patterns in random things. He's also kind of a sweetheart, but in a bit of a silent way. He finds it hard to say no, since he trained himself to do whatever anyone told him- he was a child prostitute. Despite this, he seems okay for the majority of the time. He does his best to live life as he can, enjoying music and friendships.

Luka is kind of like the closeted lesbian wallflower at a high school. Not to offend her or anything...it's honestly a bit cute, the way she is. She's very quiet and doesn't trust others easily, but she seems to trust Gakupo and Meiko more since they can relate to each other easily. She's very deeply in love with Meiko, and it's quite obvious to anyone who knows them both. She seems to get scared or intimidated in social situations, and avoids anything that could possibly be sexual. She seems a bit like she's scared to step out of her shell, as if she could ruin someone's life...

And then there's Meiko. I don't know as much about her as the others, but that's because she stays aloof and independent, putting up walls and shutting herself inside. She can get defensive or have a bit of a temper sometimes, but she's still pretty cool. She loves Luka very much, but shows it a bit less. She tends to shut people out a bit, like she's afraid of something...but she's always open and herself with Luka. We rarely see her cry or get upset, unless she gets mad. 

I sigh and look at my phone. My reminders say 'Two days'.

November 5th is coming up fast. I hope we'll be able to make it a good day for Meiko...last year didn't work so well. We had been busy all day and she'd said nothing, but I could tell she was thinking we'd forgotten. At least we were able to do something for her.

I smile and sit up, getting out of my sleeping bag and getting out of the van, sneaking into the RV. The first things I see are Meiko and Luka curled up on the couch in each other's arms, with Oliver snuggled in between them. I walk into the actual bedroom to find Kaito and Gakupo asleep in the bed, with Piko and SeeU on the floor in sleeping bags. I smile, seeing that they're all comfortable, and leave the RV to go back to the van.

Hinata's snoring when I crawl back into my sleeping bag, so I pull my phone out and open a game to tire myself out with. For some reason it gets incredibly hard for me to fall asleep sometimes...

I felt my eyes beginning to slowly close as I messed with the Pac-Man app on my phone. I sighed and put it away, curling up and closing my eyes. The stars shone softly outside, and everyone seemed to be happy.

"Two more days." I smiled as I fell asleep.


	7. Part 6: Autumn

Sunday, November 4th, 20XX

-Meiko-

One day. One more day and I'll be a whole year older.

The thought hits me as I open my eyes in the morning. I sigh and look at Oliver and Luka lying next to me, Oliver snuggled up and lying on some of Luka's hair. The floor creaks as I slip off the fold-out couch and walk into the kitchen area for a glass of water.

I don't want to grow older. Maybe it's because every year I'll be closer to dying, or maybe it's because I'll lose the freedom of being younger. Or maybe I just want to die sooner, before I age too much. I don't know.

I sit on the counter, then close my eyes. Something comes to mind. 

\----flashback----

It's November 5th, 14 years ago. I wake up to see a cage, and my father sitting in front of me. Off to the side is another cage, where my friend Luka lies. 

"W-What are you doing..?!" I ask him.

"I'm giving the two of you to a good friend of mine. But first, I'd like to give you a birthday present." He unlocks the cage and pulls me out by the arm. Smirking, his hands begin to take my nightgown off...

I scream. He smiles even more and ties my hands behind my back, then pushes me into the cage. I curl up, trying to hold my body from him...

He takes off his clothes and pulls me back out, ready to give me his 'present'. I couldn't do anything about it, even when the other man did it...

\---end flashback---

I open my eyes to see Luka in front of me, her blue eyes full of concern. It's then that I feel the tears streaming down my cheeks.

I hate the fifth of November.

Grabbing onto her arms, I pull myself off the counter and hug her as tightly as I can, crying as quietly as possible. She knows what I was thinking about...she knows because she saw it happen. I saw it happen to her. Every day, every single day...he would...he would take us...

"Meiko, it's okay." 

Her soft voice wraps around me like a blanket. Her arms are wrapped around me, keeping me safe...

I let go of her and sink down to my knees, and she does the same. Her soft hands brush the tears out of my eyes, and her blue orbs meet my brown ones.

"We're safe here. Asuka and Hinata won't let anything happen to us," she whispers.

I nod, and we both stand up. The two of us lie back down on the fold-out couch, with Oliver snuggled between us. When I close my eyes, another image comes to mind...

\--flashback--

I walk into a large building, a man who looks like a security guard leading me. He walks into an office and the first thing I see is Luka, sitting calmly in a chair with a cup of tea. The man leaves and I see the entire office.

A woman with blond hair in a side bun is sitting at a table, and Luka is sitting across from her. In the center of the table is a teapot and a single teacup.

"Why don't you have a seat?" The woman gives me a smile, and I sit down in the chair next to Luka's.

The rest of that day goes by in a blur. At the end of it, I'm sitting at a small table on the floor with five other people: Luka, a girl named SeeU, and three boys named Kaito, Gakupo, and Piko. We all share something similar- scars from the past that we can't forget. But we're going to work together in the music industry.

At the end of the day, Luka and I sit under the table together. I feel my eyelids getting heavy and curl up closer to her, my arm wrapped around her shoulder. Our noses are almost touching, and I feel a blush spread across my cheeks.

That was our first night in Curtain Call.

\---end flashback---

"Meiko-nee..." Oliver's poking me gently. "It's time to get up."

I chuckle at him and sit up, looking around the room. Luka's pouring a bowl of cereal for herself, and the others are sitting in a circle on the floor. Some with cereal, some with toast. One with Pop-Tarts.

With a sigh, I get up and go for Pop-Tarts. I take the two pastries out of their wrapper and put them in the toaster, then wait for them to be ready. My blue-and-white striped pajamas feel a bit loose on me, but I don't mind...it makes them a bit more airy when the room I'm sleeping in is hot. 

The toaster dings. I get my poptarts and join the others in the circle, listening to them talk about random shit.

\----------------------------

"SeeU, hurry up! It's almost time!" Asuka calls to her. The rest of us are in position onstage, behind the frontmost curtain, ready to perform. We've all been made up and dressed up, preparing to sing for our audience. SeeU runs into place and I take a quick look at the others. 

"Don't forget your special act. Use your facade." Hinata smiles at us, and he and Asuka run backstage as the curtain begins to come up. I feel a rush of adrenaline as the spotlights hit us, and a roar goes up from the crowd.

Our music begins to play. I stay tense with the others for a few moments more, and then...I begin to sing. My body moves to the beat, spinning and taking control of the music. Instead of blood, the sounds run through my veins, keeping me moving. I love the natural high of the performance- music, my voice, the voices of anyone else who is singing...the dance steps, the cheers of the crowd. It's more than just singing for a living, it's the fun of joy and sharing what you can do with your voice.

The song is over in what seems like a moment, and the majority of us go backstage. Each of us has an individual song to sing, and it's enjoyable to watch. I'm sure it's terrifying, being alone onstage, afraid the audience will disapprove...

I've memorized which songs everyone sings. Piko will sing 'Remember', SeeU (who doesn't have many songs) will sing 'I=Fantasy', Gakupo will sing 'Paranoid Doll'...I think Kaito's going to perform 'Ai no Uta', which is a cover of a song by Hatsune Miku, the most popular Vocaloid out there. Luka's job is to sing 'Double Lariat', and I will be performing 'Mirror'. I enjoy the song a lot, it has a powerful sound to it...

Soon enough, it is my turn to sing. I pull my black jeans up a bit more and walk into the spotlight, extending my right arm to the side and closing my eyes. The red sleeveless jacket I am wearing contrasts with my black shirt, a perfect kind of combination...

The music begins and I lose myself in the sound.


	8. Part 7: Autumn

Monday, November 5th, 20XX

-Luka-

It seems as though night is the most comfortable time for me. It's peaceful here, lying under the covers wrapped in Meiko's arms. If I'm careful I can let my mind wander, exploring the better memories of the past. I roll over and look at the clock on the side table. It's about 6:43 AM, unless the clock has the wrong time. I shiver a bit and snuggle up under the covers again.

The sun is peeking through the trees outside, ready to rise up and warm the world a little more. Today will be a good day. We have a special concert for Meiko today, to celebrate her birthday. The rest of us all have our songs too, but Meiko has two to sing. However, that's not the best part of the day. Once we've finished our events for the day, we're coming back here to have a little party. Meiko doesn't know about the party yet, but we hope she likes it.

Soft footsteps come from the little RV bedroom and I sit up slowly. Piko is coming into the room, followed by Oliver, Kaito, SeeU and Gakupo. They're making an effort to be silent, for the purpose of not waking Meiko. All of them gather around the pullout couch, and Kaito gives me a thumbs up. I know exactly what to do- we discussed this yesterday.

I gently shake Meiko awake, waiting until I see her brown eyes begin to open. Silently, I count to three in my head, and she raises her head a little.

"Happy birthday, Mei!" Gakupo smiles at her and the others repeat the words. Meiko grins at us and sits up, her eyes bright and happy.

"Morning, everyone!" She slips out of bed and goes into the kitchen area, and the rest of us begin the day as normal. I sigh and slip out from under the covers, feeling my feet on the carpet floor. I pull the blankets off the pullout and fold them, then make the couch normal again.

Gakupo's pouring everyone a bowl of cereal. Meiko's brewing coffee, as she usually does in the mornings. Piko's nowhere to be seen, I assume he's getting dressed. SeeU is sitting on the floor, quietly eating cereal, and so is Kaito. I decide to get dressed, so I take a folded set of clothes from my suitcase and go into the bathroom. The outfit I've chosen consists of a white pinstriped sweater and a pair of blue jeans, simple but comfortable. I change out of my grey nightshirt and into the clothing quickly, then run my fingers through my hair to clear out knots.

When I get out of the bathroom, everyone's sitting around on the floor and eating their food. I sit down on the couch and look at the clock. 7:00. Our concert is in three hours.

———————————————————

The stage lights are almost blinding, shining all over us. It's almost like we're the sun, sending out light to the world.

The audience roars as I step onto the stage with the others. They're here to see us, to see Meiko. Every time I face them, my nerves act up and terrify me, but if I just focus on the music then it's easier to have fun. I'm here to share my song with these people, and they're here to accept the music and listen closely.

Sound bursts from the speakers and the music begins. I sing and dance along with the others, our voices spilling colorful notes through the auditorium. I'm beginning to lose myself in the song, forgetting everything else. When I'm onstage, it seems as though I'm completely normal. Like I'm still a virgin, someone with so much life ahead of them. Someone with nothing to hold them down, not in the past or the future or even the present.

As soon as the music stops, we retreat backstage and leave Meiko onstage to perform her first song. The music is still running through me, and I'm excited to perform my song. I get to do one of my favorites, 'Luka Luka ★ Night Fever'. It's an upbeat song and I love the choreography, it lets me transform myself into a happy young woman who wants to dance with someone.

The concert goes by in a blur. I'm the third one up to perform, and it seems like my song only takes seconds. Once Meiko's finished with her second song, we all line up onstage and take a bow. As we're leaving, I feel Meiko slip her hand into mine and my cheeks grow hot. We make our way back to the RV, as it's time to get back on the road.

—————————————

Once we get to our campsite for the night, we can have some free time. I take Meiko to the bedroom area to play some board games while the others get ready for our little party. Soon enough, SeeU comes in and tells me that it's time. I smile, then grab Meiko's hand and lead her too the main room. The others are there, waiting for us.

"Anybody hungry?" Piko asks. "Hinata and I made dinner." He sets down a bowl of cooked ground beef, as well as some bags of corn chips. I'm guessing that we're having the kind of 'tacos' that everyone makes when they're camping. We all take a bag of chips and get a bit of meat, then find a spot on the floor to sit. I smile when I see Piko eating just as much as the rest of us. It seems he's making good progress.

When everyone's finished, Kaito and SeeU smirk at each other, and SeeU gets up to grab something from the fridge. She comes back with a small cake, simple but pretty- it's decorated with red frosting and two strawberries.

"Happy birthday, Meiko," says SeeU with a smile. She set the cake down on the small table in the kitchen area, then got a knife to cut the cake with. The first slice went to Meiko, and the rest were distributed evenly around us. Piko was the only one who refused his slice, he said he wasn't hungry anymore.

I sat next to Meiko, enjoying the cake and her company. It seemed today had been a good day after all...everyone seemed to have fun.

Soon enough, the time grew late, and we were all tired. Gakupo was the first one to go to bed, he was nearly falling asleep as it was. SeeU followed soon after him, and before we knew it we were all heading to bed. I changed into my nightshirt and curled up on the couch, not even bothering to pull it out. I could feel myself drifting away...


	9. ANNOUNCEMENT

Hey guys, FunnelCake here! I'm really sorry but I've decided to abandon this work, thank you to everyone who's read it! I just feel like it isn't very good and writing longer things like this isn't my style. Thank you again for reading, and be sure to check out my other stories!


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